North Yorkshire families demand more support for SEN children
A protest is being held in Parliament today calling for reform
North Yorkshire parents say they face a "horrific" battle trying to get the right support for their children with special educational needs.
Sarah is from the Selby area and says she's spent years fighting for help for her 7 year old: "As a single Mum while I'm trying to hold down a job, deal with 10 phone calls a day, which when you are on hold for 3 hours cause you can't get through to someone, or no one rings you back, it does make you angry."
"It literally took for my daughter to launch a chair at a doctor for them to listen to me, I have been trying from the age of 2, she is now 7, for someone to listen to me to help her."
"To me I don't see the additional needs, because she is my daughter and that is how she was made, so that's my daughter, but I just want her to have the same privileges and access every thing that everybody else can, and the same opportunities."
60,000 people are expected at a demonstration in London later demanding reforms to the system.
In response a Department for Education spokesperson said:
“We are aware that some local areas aren’t delivering education, health and care plans (EHCP) as they should. Where local areas are failing, the Department will intervene, using a range of improvement programmes and support from SEND specialist advisers to address weaknesses.
“Separate to our newly published SEND and AP improvement plan, to ensure all children with special needs receive the support they need, we are also putting significant investment into the high needs budget, which will be worth £10.1bn by 2023-24 – a rise of over 50% over four years – and are working to make sure there is earlier intervention, consistent high standards and less bureaucracy where children do need additional support.”